Sydney Sweeney hit with another setback as latest film flops in theaters Clutch Fire

Sydney Sweeney was hit with fresh career troubles this weekend as her latest movie struggled to connect with audiences. 

The actress, who recently faced backlash over her American Eagle ad campaign, saw her new film Americana fail to make an impact at the box office.

The crime drama, directed by Tony Tost, premiered at South by Southwest in 2023 but only reached theaters nationwide this Friday. 

It told the story of a rare Lakota Ghost Shirt appearing on the black market in a small South Dakota town, setting off violent twists in the lives of several strangers. 

Sweeney played Penny Jo, a young woman chasing her dream of becoming a country singer, alongside co stars Halsey and Paul Walter Hauser.

Although the film earned some festival attention, reviews were mixed and it currently holds a 68 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, industry reports suggested that it would collect only $850,000 from 1,100 theaters on its opening weekend, placing it in 16th spot. 

And by Saturday, it didn’t enter the top 20 lists on major box office tracking sites.

Ahead of the release, Sweeney promoted the film online, writing, “a few years ago I filmed this little movie with some friends and now you get to meet penny jo.”

The actress’ post quickly drew mixed reactions, with critics pointing to her politics and her registration as a Republican in Florida. Some voiced anger while others defended her, saying she has talent for sparking conversation just by being herself.

Sweeney’s focus now shifts to her next project Christy, a biopic about boxer Christy Martin. The film will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.